The present disclosure relates to methods for inhibiting or reducing cancerous tumor metabolism, growth, and proliferation. Compositions for use in such methods are also disclosed.
Cancer is the abnormal growth of cells, which can create masses of tissue that can become malignant tumors or neoplasms. These formations can invade and destroy surrounding tissues, and may spread to other parts of the body (metastasis).
Physicians are constantly seeking new forms of cancer treatment to either bolster the effects of or supplant current cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, drug therapy, and cell transplantation. Alone, many of these treatments require repeated administrations with no guarantee of a reduction in tumor cell growth and proliferation. Further, many of these treatments result in adverse side effects, requiring subjects to undergo further discomfort and therapies.
Tumors require oxygen in order to grow. Often tumors grow faster than their oxygen supplies can support. This results in hypoxic regions within the tumors. Hypoxic regions can support infection with anaerobe microorganisms, and tumor infection by an anaerobe can lead to the tumor's demise.
It would be desirable to identify additional compositions and methods that can be used to deliver anaerobes effectively to a patient.